JJ and Kleiza are pretty close offensively with a bit of an edge to Kleiza's range and FT shooting. Kleiza has also played over twice as many games and this year we never saw an upswing in his game like we did with JJ. Defensively it's a mismatch in JJ's favor.
I'd start JJ and be happy with it unless they need more than 10-12 pts from the three.

He's improved but he's still a meathead who mixes in some solid stat lines with some insanely erratic play. His late season benching does not bode well for his maturity and he looks like he could gain 15 lbs of fat at any moment. He is what he is I suppose: A stat stuffer on a bad team. I'd not shed a tear to see him leave because he is just a placeholder until we get a legit 3 man. I'd love him off the bench but I could say that about 4 other starters from the 11-12 lineup.

The truth!

A verbal altercation with Casey on the bench during a game led to a de facto two-game suspension for James Johnson but the mercurial forward is over it.

“We talked and that was that,” Johnson said. “I learned my lesson and I took my consequences like a man and you can only respect that.”

The incident — a mild disagreement during a win over Charlotte on April 3 — led to Johnson sitting out two games but the team did not suspend him, which would have taken money out of his pocket.

It was quickly brushed aside by both Casey and Johnson, one of those incidents that pop up during a season.

Johnson knows he has a tendency to press the issue every now and then but isn’t going to change too much.

“I think what I can do might seem a little too much now and again to everybody else,” he said. “But I know I can do it and I work on my game. It’s just putting those pieces together. Sometimes, yes, you do too much, might over-dribble a little bit, but it’s basketball and if you feel you can take your man and it might take a few more dribbles, then do that.”

James Johnson, Raptors’ lock-down defender, has added a move to his offensive arsenal that is making him a pretty big threat at the other end of the court.

It’s the Euro step, first popularized in the NBA by San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili and since copied by the likes of Dwyane Wade, Rajon Rondo and John Wall.

In short, it’s an offensive manoeuvre in which the player changes direction after picking up his dribble while driving to the basket. After picking up his dribble, the player steps in one direction and then steps in another direction to evade defenders and often avoid a charge call.

Johnson’s Euro step, however, is different from the others.

“His core is so strong so he can do it at a speed that other players can’t,” Raptors coach Jama Mahlalela said. “Most players, it’s a fast motion. Bang-bang and faster. He’s strong enough that he can go and stop and then come back and still get control. All the drills we do are to enhance that getting in control. It is the perfect move for him.”

Johnson worked on it over the summer and has been doing a lot of work, much of it with a medicine ball at nights when he comes back to the gym with Mahlalela.

“Medicine-ball heavy work allows him to control the ball up top (above his shoulders), get through contact and then finish it,” Mahlalela said. “The biggest thing with James is finishing at the rim. He can get to the rim every single time.”

Next up for Johnson according to Mahlalea: Mastering the corner threes.

If he becomes a perimeter three point shooter it would be a detriment. As it is he penetrates, posts and passes in the interior. 3-D would make him less valuable especially since Toronto has 2Pats. A better shot would be great but a high fg% is better.

If he becomes a perimeter three point shooter it would be a detriment. As it is he penetrates, posts and passes in the interior. 3-D would make him less valuable especially since Toronto has 2Pats. A better shot would be great but a high fg% is better.

I think you have misunderstood the whole concept of thinking outside the box, considering your recent posts across this and other threads.

If he becomes a perimeter three point shooter it would be a detriment. As it is he penetrates, posts and passes in the interior. 3-D would make him less valuable especially since Toronto has 2Pats. A better shot would be great but a high fg% is better.

The number of Eurosteps JJ does is actually ridiculous, he must do it at least 3-4 times in the halfcourt and shoot like 60% on them. So weird considering it's a really hard move and he's never been a great offensive player.